Teacher, 54, accused of affair with student, 15

Thomas Keelan had two year fling with teen, FDLE said

June 18, 2012|By Wayne K. Roustan, Sun Sentinel

A 54-year-old teacher is accused of having a two-year sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, according to U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer.

Thomas Patrick Keelan, of Roanoke, Va., was charged in Miami federal court on Monday with enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity and interstate commerce for sexual conduct with a minor, prosecutors said.

Between 2009 and 2010, Keelan was a teacher at a private school in Miami-Dade County where he began a sexual relationship with the teenage student. Over the next two years, Keelan had sex with the girl approximately 60 times, according to the criminal complaint.

Keelan took a teaching job in Roanoke in the fall of 2010. In May, the then-17-year-old girl began working with law enforcement. In several phone calls, Keelan expressed his love for the teenager and arranged to meet her at the same hotel where they had sex before, court records stated.

On May 28, Keelan reserved a room at a Hollywood hotel for seven days and was arrested when he showed up on Saturday, prosecutors said.

Investigators think there may be other victims and are urging anyone with information to call local police or a special hotline at 1-888-356-4774.